May You Never
by CrypticMaidenRK
Summary: Her hand symbolized her promise to him. She secured their futures, by giving up hers in return. She would do anything for her people even if it meant marrying the High Prince, Kenshin Himura, but the peace of the Kingdom is still in danger.KK.
1. The Princess of Kadir

Her hand symbolized her promise to him. She secured their futures, by giving hers in return. She never wanted to marry the High Prince, but for the sake of her people she would do anything. This is the story of she who dwells in the Ivory Hall, Princess of Kadir of the land of Aekinia, Kaoru Kamyia. KK, SM, AM!

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or the excerpt in Italics...that passage was from Edith Hamilton's Mythology.

"_As a man is equal to the Church and equal to the State, so he is equal to every other man."_

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

**May You Never **

**Chapter One**: The Princess of Kadir

_May you never, oh, never behold me_

_Sharing the couch of a god._

_May none of the dwellers in heaven _

_Draw near to me ever._

_Such love as high as the gods know,_

_From whose eyes none can hide,_

_May that never be mine._

_To war with a god-lover is not war,_

_It is despair._

Kaoru closed her book, and sighed running her fingers over the over handled leather binds. Oh how she wished to be as free from the binding ties of marriage that she was forced under. It happened not a fortnight ago when her hand was given to the High Prince, at the price of an alliance between her lovely country of Kadir, and the High Rulers Nation of Hiten. For many years there had been a constant cloud over the mountainous land of her forefathers. Kaoru herself had felt it even on the sunniest days of the year. It was the edge that scarred her, the 'What will happen.'. It was ominous loom, not just to her country, but to all, and they secured their futures by giving up hers. And she would do it if it meant the lessen oppression of her lands, and others. For The Noble Kaoru Kaymia knew her duty to her people.

The High Nation wanted more power, for they were power, of control over their lands that they had given millennia's ago to the nobles who now were kings over the distributions of lands surrounding the main kingdom of Hiten; where the High King dwelled in his fortress of gold. Biting her nails, a habit she acquired long ago, she stops looking at her hands memorized. She had given her word in the shape of her hand to a man that she had never before seen. His face was nothing but what she pictured to a name, His Royal Highness, the High Prince of the Land of Aekinia, Kenshin Misturu Shinta Himura. Kaoru smiled, humorlessly, at least she knew one thing she liked about him-his name. It was eloquent to say the least.

Standing slowly up she walked through the doors of the polished Study chamber, passing the gothic widows that looked onto the mountains painted in the distance and the rolling hills that drove to meet them. A massive river ran before the mountains in a clear emerald chain as it was banked on both sides by little docks and fisheries that carried supplies down into the water locked areas of Aekinia. Further down the river when fresh meet salt in the delta there was a city named Peirce; the main harbor and port of Kadir. The vastness of the ocean side city had no completion in the Land of Aekinia, even with the numerous amounts of beautiful harbor cities of different kingdoms along the Ocean of Alteron's coasts.

About a league away from Ivory Hall, the dwelling of the King of Kadir, stood the capital, Lome. It stretched until it meet the Chain River, and went even further almost to the mountains that were painted on the distance. Travelers called it the City of White, for the city gave off an innocent air matched by the beautifully sculpted structures of long past but also the cities ingenious mix of agrarian fixtures. Even though the city was massive, the public gardens of the castle and city, as well as the trees that loomed along the city streets gave Kaoru's home an enchanting allurement. Not only that, but the people who lived in Kadir learned since the day of their birth to treat everyone as equals, having people of the different kingdoms call Kadir the Kingdom of Equality. Etched upon every Chamber of Justice's anteroom painted in gold was the statement, "Equality is the foundation of Justice."

But Kadir wasn't the only kingdom to be known for some moral characteristic. There was the Kingdom of Slader, Home of the Protector; there people were know for sheltering people of war and proclaimed to be some of the kindness souls of Aekinia.

Then there was the Kingdom of Anteal, Land of the Stubborn at Heart, know for their stubbornness, and unwavering ideals. This land was not for the weak of voice.

Following, Anteal, there was the Kingdom of Storlim, the Domain of the Clever. People of the land of Storlim were known for their emphasis of education that gave way for their quick wit and intelligence.

The Kingdom of Chenel was made for the Children of the Brave, all who have wondered into the land of Chenel have never had any reason to fear for the people of the Brave would help them.

The Land of Silence, Kingdom of Bilate, was home for those of the meek and quite, never should they utter a word if you ask it of them, it is a land of many locked secrets that they will never utter. If anyone would ever talk about Bilate, they would immediately jump to the long told legend of their Room of Silence.

Then there is the Kingdom of Liyla, the Domain of the Wise. They're said to be people of beautiful minds and souls with a God given gift of wisdom, to help those in need of explanation and counsel. It is said if their ever was a distress put upon a soul, that all they would need was to step into the boundaries of Liyla and be cured.

On the far distance borders there loomed the Kingdom of Glademere, those of the Faithful. Here people feed on the faith of the Lord and never doubt, they are the ones who in dire needs send all the lands on the path of faithful again.

The Land of Justice has a hand above them all, the Kingdom of Drilic, those who thirst for fare justice, never has there been an injustice done to the best of their abilities. If ever were a crime committed, one would want it staged in Drilic.

Finally, the High Kingdom of Hiten, the House of Power, their strength is said to go unmatched, and their power over others is strength. These people have been raised as strong leaders, and they will never waver from that.

Kaoru, touched an ivory pillar of the open aired condor, slight breeze playing upon her face. This was the land she loved, a people that she loved, she would lay her life down for them. Not only was it duty to serve her people, but to love them as well. She had read on many occasions the deeds of past kings and leaders taking control of their people and making them serve his highness. She frowned, she was always taught that God granted her the position of princess so that she could serve the people not the other way around, for it was up to her to protect and care for them.

She smiled looking over the mountains and hills of her father. She could see the forest covering the awkward plains far to the east until it rose up again to meet a mountain. Looking at her hand once more she sighed tiredly. She was only one and nine, and already she was destined to a cage; to a man that seemed like a god to the public. She had never attended a ball with his presence, and the reoccurring thought that she had barely meet any nobles except for the dukes and other such nobility of her country, and her friends Misao, Soujiro of the Kingdom of Anteal, and Sanouske and his little sister Tusbume of Slader. Those were the only exceptions, and thinking about it Kaoru was the only high noble not to have a sibling.

Her life was compact, she never really went past her countries borders, barely went to balls, she put too much of her time and soul into the needs of her people. She never regretted it. There were times of course that she wanted to explore and have the adventure of a life time that she had read so many times in books, and heard the tales of soldiers, but her people were more important. She was raised as such, and she worked everyday of her life in the charity of helping others.

"Princess Kaoru." Turning she saw a little man with the long face of a horse, smiling she beckoned him to go on. "The Duke of Saete is here to see you. If you would just follow me Princess." He bowed, and she shook her head.

"Please don't bow. How many times do I have to tell you Sir Feren." Walking past him she added, "We are all equals here."

"As you wish."

As they made their way towards the Southern Conference Camber they talked of the gardens and Sir Feren's recently born twin girls. Kaoru couldn't help but smile at the man's beaming face. Something touched her heart so softly seeing a man's face soften into tenderness, maybe it was her maternal instincts, but she couldn't help but pray the man she was now bound to was as loving a father as Feren was.

The cherry wood door stood ceiling high in front of them. It was a wide and gaping tunnel. "I shall leave you now Princess." With a final bow he disappeared.

Clasping one of the silver handles, she pulled the door open almost scraping the marble tile as a voice met her ears.

"The Princess Kaoru Aentel Sispia Kamyia of Equality Hall of White Castle, in the Kingdom of Kadir." The formal introduction rang in her ears. How she despised such an introduction.

Nodding her head the introducer took his bow and left closing the door in a final farewell. "I' am honored you should come upon my sudden request Seate."

"It was no trouble Princess, tis' my duty to serve you and the people, and the topic you mention indeed did involve the people." The aging man declared standing up as she moved towards the massive glass table. Arched windows favored the right hand of the room throwing in vast amounts of bright sunlight, as well as the all around scenery.

"I assume that you read my report on the situation Duke." Kaoru said taking her place where he pulled out her chair.

"Indeed." He smiled sitting across the table clasping his hands. The man that sat in front of her she had know since her first days, and had a dear opinion of him; he was like a grandfather to her. Every wrinkle and every scar he had told her once had a tale to tell, and she had listened intently to every single one.

"I'm sorry that my father couldn't be here. Sadly he is off in Hiten making future preparations." Her voice stood steady, but she could see the elder eye's sadden in remorse, but he said nothing of it. "But time doesn't stand still does it. The Parliament can't hold off much longer the deeds to the land of the recently deceased Count of Fant, the people there are fighting over the land, and sadly the new Count is dreadfully ill. The family is in distress as they are trying to keep the people content."

He nodded, "Its a sad business when there is strife. All I can affirm is that you and the Parliament sustain an assistant militia rule for the time being until the family gets settled again, they have been doing a faire job."

"What do you suppose of the Open Field System?" Kaoru countered. "The system has worked before for periods of a time, having all the people work equally."

He shook his head, "It does work to an extent, but then if they do all the same work then there will be a decrease in the pride of their labors."

"Yes, I know that." Kaoru put her hand to her head, "But all I'm saying is for a short time. If I have to I will make those people work together, for a time, and then once all the affaires are settled then they can make the proper arrangements on what the citizens will receive, for it was in the late count's will that his citizens would receive upon his death certain arrangements. Myself I haven't not yet seen the Will, but the Minister of Interior Affairs has." Sighing she closed her eyes.

"I'm planning on conversing with him later this evening." The Duke nodded, threading his fingers through his white hair.

"If it is only for a short period of time, then yes, I will agree, but if it should go on for too long the economy will fall." He leaned backed onto his seat. Dully, Kaoru, nodded. She hoped with all her power that the new count would be well soon, or else her father would have even more to handle with the situations of the kingdom in there numerous amounts. At least one problem was solved, she thought mutely.

A/N: Hey people thanks for reading this story. I know that it is confusing now, but don't worry it will be all cleared up in time. Please Review....Please!

Oh yeah, the three field system is when all the people get together and have one big field and separate farmers grow all the same crop in it together, or different crops in sections of the field. The man purpose is that all the people work together.

Don't You Just Hate Me

CrypticMaidenRK


	2. The Days Go By

Disclaimer: Hey I say to you all now and forevermore that I, CrypticMaidenRK, does not own Rurouni Kenshin and probably never will. Thank you.

_Cowards die many times before their deaths,  
The valiant never taste of death but once._

**-William Shakespeare**

**May You Never**

Chapter Two: The Days Go By

The days had increased at an alarming rate after the adjourned meeting with the Duke of Saete, and lucky within that time the young Count of Fant had won a victory over his illness and since then the province had made vast amounts of progress towards harmony once again.

Kaoru shuffled her way through the private gardens of the palace. All was quite, and dark since the cloak of drowsy night had settled upon the capital of Lome. Her sapphire eyes traveled the length of the rose bushes that towered over the eastern side of the garden enclosing her into a sweet smelling maze of green. Everything seemed to change with the night; the smell of the air, the colors, a deep sense of peace came every night and left the following morning.

A stone beach came into her line of sight; the legs were perfectly designed and arched. It was such a perfect sculpture that Kaoru felt that to sit on it would be a sin. But her own weariness won over her silly thoughts as she sat down on the cool, gray stone.

The moon hovered above the mountains in all its full glory, and Kaoru if she were to go to the highest point of the garden, Ivory Peak; a mound of earth that rose up from the garden, she would be able to see her mountainous land and the Chain River of clear emerald that glittered in the night's light. Swift and calm the river traveled through the High Kingdom of Aekinia sending goods and people to different regions.

Kaoru fingered her pale gown. Father will be here in a couple of days, was her thought. Oh, how she dreaded that day because once the King got back to Kadir then she had five more days in her kingdom before being shipped off to the capital of Hiten, Sadiva. She groaned momentarily, repeatedly singing far back in her thoughts, 'For my people.'

Looking up into the sky once again with tired sapphire eyes, she wished on all the stars in the jeweled sky for at least her contentment in her marriage.

"Princess!" A voice bellowed through the marble hall. Kaoru ceased her steps and looked back at the almost bounding girl. Smiling Kaoru, picked up her feet and ran to her long time friend and maid.

"Asteria, what's the matter." Her smile was jubilant, Kaoru had always wished for a smile like Asteria's.

"Princess, the King was spotted just a couple of hours ago. I was just informed by the Captain of the Guards, Dertion, to inform you of your father's return from Hiten."

Kaoru felt helpless, in just a few hours her beloved father would be home, and for the first time she wished it weren't true. Her father had been her best friend ever since her mother died twelve years ago, and she always missed him dearly. He had taught her everything she knew, the bad and the good, and for the first time in her life she wished him not to return for the simple reason that once he did she would be sent off.

"I can't wait." She lied between her teeth to the bubbling blond.

"Come on Princess you have to dress for his return, there will be a celebration for his return and your engagement." Kaoru smiled again, it was her only defense to the outside world. 'Just smile Kaoru and will be fine', was what she had started telling herself around the time she lost her mother. She never wanted people to worry.

Her friend eyed her. "Kaoru please don't stress over your future wedding. I know that you do not wish it, but just think of the possibilities of becoming the High Queen of Aekinia."

Kaoru's eyes widened. If she was called to talk she knew she wouldn't be able to utter a word; she never expected to hear that from Asteria. Lowering her head, "All I'm just doing is my duty to protect your rights." Her friend became silent as she led her down the condor to her chamber.

With a sad smile the other replied, "I know and..." With a momentary hesitation she added, "Thank you." Kaoru merely nodded her head slipping her protective smile once again.

'I can't remember a time when I really did smile.' The halls passed as they had every day of her life; never did the halls change and she always found comfort in that. The walls will never go. It was a wonderfully dreary statement to Kaoru.

"Kaoru?" A voice tore her thoughts.

"Yes." She seemed somewhat startled as if she had woken her from a dream. Asteria smiled, Kaoru use to always have such dreams, until duty over took her life.

"I often wonder what happened to that little girl who was always so carefree and adventurous."

They both came to a stop in front of a crimson door with gold handles cradled by two guards standing parallel to it, and who which upon their appearance opened the door. Kaoru nodded towards them in appreciation, and once the two were inside Kaoru responded.

"I never knew such a girl." And it was at that point she felt the need to cry. 'Just smile...'

The celebration was wonderful as always; the food, the dancing, the merry conversations which overall topic was the Princess Kaoru's royal engagement. The voices whispered out of all the corners and cracks of the palace thinking that she would not hear the voices, but she was but a ghost in the back ground to all of them. She defended them, and they loved her for her kindness and loyalty, but shunned her. Or was it she who shunned them.

"I would never have guessed that she would ever leave Ivory Hall."

"The poor girl. Don't you ladies remember when she was that carefree bubbling girl."

"Yes she was such a character always making the ladies and gentlemen of the court laugh."

"Not only us Hevera, but she was one of the common. Equal in all ways to the people."

"Really I never found anything attractive about the Princess, " With a harsh in take of breathe from the person's mother she went on. "Mother don't do that. Please she is so coarse, and always so dutiful." Looking at the other stunned ladies the young girl went on. "I heard from Sena that she barely attends any balls."

"Shush your mouth young lady. All that the Princess does is for you." The mother replied red from embarrassment and shame alike. "And it is also common knowledge about her never attending any balls."

"I have to agree with Tilvia, Countess Ivito, the Princess isn't like us. I have been to other Kingdoms, Ma'ma, and they have barely heard of our Princess. How can she be counted noble when she doesn't even go to converse with other Kingdoms. She is also shaming this land; it isn't a woman's place to be doing a man's job. Personally I'm glad she is going."

"Child, how can you say such!"

Kaoru, paid no heed to their words, she simply did as she always had done; walked off. So what if she never conversed with other Kingdom's, never went to balls, she had a job to her people. It was her _duty_, not just a man's job.

Walking up to her father's thorn where he was currently conversing with some parliament members, she smiled at him, and taking his hand into her own she whispered in his ear. "Father I will retire for the evening." Squeezing her hand gently he nodded. She bowed to the parliament members.

"Excuse me gentlemen, sorry for the interruption, but I will be retiring now." They nodded and bowed low to her.

"I hope you sleep well Princess." An older gentleman replied.

"Thank you Lord Gadin." She smiled to her father once again. "Father?"

"Yes I need to converse with you Kaoru." He seemed deep in thought. "I summon your dear later. You may go." Nodding she made her way out after another fifteen minutes of saying her farewells to the party.

Finally she walked across the entrance of the room and was consumed in a dimmer light. Sighing, she made her way down a grand staircase that lead to another and then to another and before she knew it she was at the main entrance to the palace. Looking over her shoulder she went back through the monstrous French door that held beneath the combing stairs.

It was dark in the condos of the palace, and as suddenly it became dark it was dissipated by the moonlight. She was now in an opened aired hallway. She didn't have any memory of coming here. Kaoru moaned, "Mou!"

Her eyes snapped open. 'How long...How long had it been since she had said that word?'

Memories came flooding back to her from her youth. Sano, Tusume, Soujiro, Misao...her friends. Her only real friends that she ever remembered. When was the last time she saw them?

"Ten..." She mumbled. "Ten years ago was the last time." It was the time her duty was put before everything else.

"Smile Kaoru. Smile dammit!" She breathed out harshly. Rubbing her head, she slide against the wall, the distant sound of playful music filling her ears. She remembered at time when she was free, a time when she smiled, laughed, and actually breathed.

"No! You have a duty Kaoru." She hushed her thoughts. She would work herself to her death, it was for the good of her people. The only thing that mattered was their happiness. She was tired, so tried though. Sometimes she felt as though she wanted to get away, she wanted to see her best friend Misao again, but she couldn't. Duty was what she had to do, she loved her people. Their happiness was before her own.

Her heart settled. Yes, she had lost her friends, her mother, but she wouldn't lose her people. She would go on with her life, working for others. She loved what she did, she truly did. It was just that...she missed that girl she once knew.

The sound of wood pounding aroused her from her book. Her room was dimly lit with the golden arms of candle light turning her white sheets to a cream paint, the remainder of her room was decorated with darker colors of purple and blue. Her room was wispy and elegant fitting her style of decor. Simply put it was beautiful any which way a person would look at it.

Opening the dark French door to her leading into her spacious sitting room she walked to her chambers door and opened it with a smile.

"Princess you father request your presence in his library." The manservant's voice was deep with exhaust, and for some reason he brought a lighter smile to her face.

"Where else would he be now." She laughed startling the man. He barely ever heard her laugh, but her laugh was pleasant, he thought laughing along with her.

"Thank you, Setan." He merely nodded, and as she walked out he went to follow her but she stopped and gently shook her head. " You don't have to escort me. I' am well acquainted with these halls, and you my good sir," she said poking him playfully, " need your beauty sleep."

"Princess I' am long past beauty." Shaking her head she again put on her smile.

"Go to bed, and get some sleep." Bowing at her kind nature he took his leave and did as he was told.

Kaoru was truthful to her statement, she did know her halls, and within a few minutes was seated with her father in his cherished library.

"My daughter I have missed you very much." He voice was tired, and remorseful. She took his hand in hers again putting it to her cheek.

"Father, don't be sad. You and I are doing what we have to do that's all." She made her voice sound pleasant and soft. The last thing she wanted was to have her father distressed.

She let go of his hand as her own dropped down into her lap. Her father had always been there for her, so now it was her time to be there for him, and what he needed was an alliance and an alliance was what he would get. He was timeless, a figure a perfection to her. His black hair over the years had been tainted with white strands, and his skin had become less firm from the weight of the gravity of time, but his eyes, his expressful green eyes had remained the same as far back as she could remember.

When she was little he had always towered over her, and she ran around with him in the vast gardens with her mother playing chase or ball. From her father she had his chin and hair, and her mother given her stunning sapphire eyes along with beautiful hands.

"Kaoru, my dear little girl I'm sorry that you have to marry." Kaoru shook her head almost in a begging manner for him to stop, but he continued. "No, child, don't try to stop me. I should have never given your hand to Prince Kenshin. It was wrong of me and I'm sorry."

"No, Father! Don't say that I would..." She never finished her sentence.

"Yes Kaoru you always say it for our people!" Her father stood and walked about the room. "When is it ever time for you!"

"Father its not just our people now though...they had been oppressing other lands for their greed of power." Her voice was steady.

"I want you to be happy, Kaoru. I'm so sorry that I did what I did. I gave up your future to secure the rest of our futures."

"Father, I' am happy." If this was true or not Kaoru didn't bother to think further on it, but she only continued on. "But I' am happier when my people and other people of Aekinia are happy."

He dropped into his warm, red, cushioned chair once again. "It was for the sake of the alliance. The King had more of a hold on our people then any other. Kaoru we are one of the strongest Kingdoms in the land. I knew it was our job...your job to..." He couldn't finish as he buried his face in his hands.

"Father don't torment yourself over this. I know my duty to my land. I will be content, you don't have to worry." She stay in her seat, unmoving, unflinching. Her practiced voice never wavering.

"Kaoru...I'm sorry."

Kaoru shook her head, and with a leveling smile replied. "I will on one condition," Her father raised his head looking onto her practical face. "Tell me what is my future husband is like."

He mouth twitched a bit. "Kaoru I haven't heard you talk in such a manner in so long." Kaoru's face became blank.

"I've missed that child of twelve years ago."

"That's exactly what she was Father...a child." Though she said she knew it was a lie, and at the same time she longed to be like that child.

Smiling sadly at his daughter, he noted how much she had grown. The child had grown up to fast for her age. She had become an adult too young, and he knew that girl; the girl she really was was hidden beneath the clock of duty that she had put on and never washed away. She use to be exactly as her mother was- a free spirit, but that side was no longer visible.

"Well," He leaned back against the chair, intertwining his fingers, "All I can say is that all the ladies of the Nation are quite taken with him. He is very popular and well known."

"Really I barely hear about him, but from what you have told me he sounds like a lecher." Kaoru wanted to hit herself, of course she never heard about him, she never heard about any of the nobles unless it had something to do with her work. Her father only smiled.

"You need to have fun once in a while dear, and to your last remark he isn't." He said shaking his head sending black and shiver wispy strands across his aging face.

"I do when I help at the orphanage." She exclaimed in defense. "I see no point in just sitting around and conversing with other gossiping ladies just to talk about other peoples business that doesn't even involve them."

"He nodded. That was your mother's and I exact opinion as well." He replied nonchalantly continuing with his explanation. "As I said, Kenshin Himura, is a very honorable man who cares about his Land and people. Together you two shall be just rulers I hope."

"Is there anything else I should know?" Kaoru questioned. She had a feeling deep inside of her that told her there was more to this Prince.

Her father's eyes dropped. She rubbed her hands together in anticipation. "Yes, there is more, but" He spoke in a deeper manner, "this is not something to go flaunter around with. Its not a secret, but still it would be impolite." She just nodded her head, ignoring the fact that he was treating her as if she would go tell the world something that would vex her future husband.

I may not know him, but I respect him because he is my Prince, was her thought.

"He loved someone long ago, and lost her. I think her name was Princess Atria Yure Jekel Arobchech, but sadly she did not love him back, and later it was found out that she only wanted him for his, our, lands. I think she was the princess of the Nation of Uthum."

'Uthum...' Kaoru remembered the name. "Did this involve the Uthum Aekinia Conflict, was that the reason for the war seven years ago."

"Yes, the War of Dominance. She had stolen information about our lands and techniques and her Nation attacked to take over us. The Prince rallied his lands went to war, it was then he received his title of Battousai."

"...Battosuai..." Kaoru's voice echoed. "I had no idea he was...he was...him, nor about the affair between him and the princess."

'I'm going to be the bride of Battousai the Manslayer. All those stories I heard about that man were so horrible, and I'm going to be his wife, but Father say he is honorable...' Her thoughts were cut short when her Father spoke up once again.

"Yes lots of people know about him being Battosuai, but I guess you wouldn't dear. You were always so busy during those times helping our people and traveling around Kadir."

"Yes...yes I guess so."

A/N: Hey everyone, please review and tell me what you think. Thank you for those who reviewed it means allot to me! If you have any question feel free to ask, and please tell me if my writing style is good/bad/ or blah.

Don't You Just Hate Me,

CrypticMaidenRK


	3. The Fifth Day

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Rurouni Kenshin...pity.

_Some say the glass is half empty, some say the glass is half full, I say, are you going to drink that?  
_--Lisa Claymen

**May You Never**

Chapter Three: The Fifth Day

It was the fifth day.

The palace was in a rush trying to get preparations all ready for her departure. Why were they making such as fuss? after all she was only one person. It wasn't as though she and her father were leaving together; she was leaving on her journey alone. It was her life, her journey, no one else's.

She stood idly outside her on her balcony that over looked the vast gardens over the mountainous land's sloping hills as they patterned rising back up again in the same motions until they met the wild mountains who kissed the sky. Inside the maids scrambled about, busy as bees, packing all her necessary belongings and tidying the room up once they were done with one part.

This was her last day in the gentle breeze of her kingdom; the land she loved and worked over. Stretching out her hands in front of her she eyed them. She had helped mold her country back to heath after the war with Uthum, she had done it with her own two hands. She defied those who proclaimed on their high soap boxes that a woman could never do a man's job, and that she was only meant to host parties and other such affairs. Oh, how she had proved them wrong.

"Princess." A timid voice exclaimed softy. "You need to be dressed now." Kaoru looked back into her room noticing that she, the little girl, and one other chamber maiden were still in her chamber.

Kaoru smiled, "You have no need to help me. I'm old enough to dress myself."

'And pack for myself...' she thought to herself quietly. With a simple wave of her hand she dismissed her and the other. They bowed and left.

With one last furtive glace to the gardens she strode inside her less occupied room. The decor remained the same, and except for a few tidbits of her own missing, everything was as it had always been, except for the feeling of home that had now vanished.

She noticed on her bed her gown that she was to wear. It was a simple white color that had long clear sleeves that stretched passed her hands, and flowed down her body till it licked the floor. A red sash adorned the waist line. It was her favorite clothing item, except for her training cloths that a maiden of her standard was never to wear. Though she hadn't worn them in years, since the last time she practiced her sword play.

After she dressed she pulled down her hair that was up in her normal ponytail that ran down her back in silky ebony waves and sat at her vanity brush out the knots that loved her hair dearly. With her final action done she pulled her hair up once again, stood, dusted her dress and walked out of her room for the last time.

"Goodbye." Was her last faint word she called out down her childhood condor.

She walked for what seemed an eternity breathing in all the scents so had become so accustomed to, her last visions of the scenery cherishing every last moment until she came upon her father.

He stood erect in front of the palace doors, sided by all the servants in straight lines that worked in the palace.

His timeless eyes for the first time looked tired as her walked up to his only daughter. Grasping her in his arms he held her as the child she was, and always would be...His little girl. She could feel, to her surprise, wet drops of water fall onto her hair, whilst her muttered a thousand pardons and my little girls.

She herself wanted to cry to her father, she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs for this whole nightmare to be over. She wanted to fall to her knees and ask her father to protect her, to help her escape from this treaty that encaged to her to a man she didn't know, but to all her wants none of them mattered. Kaoru, as she had always done, stood her ground patting her aging father's back as she clung to him for the last time in a long while.

"Father will you visit me." Came her meek reply. He pulled back from her just enough to look at his daughter.

"Kaoru, I don't think I have ever this to you, but I'm so proud of you." Kaoru lowered her head covering her proud smile. "And don't ever question that I will come visit you, because you know I will." She nodded clinging to her father who had been her best friend for so long.

"I only wish that you can meet that little girl once again." She lessened her grip a little. "I know she is in there somewhere, sometimes I can even see that flicker of fire that once was hers in your eyes Kaoru. Why don't you let her out anymore?"

"I have a duty father, and no matter what I want, I have to be strong a serve the people. To keep their hopes up. I cannot focus on my own wants." He simply shook his head.

"One day my dear little girl, you will let who you really are out again." He pulled her close to whisper in he ear. "I can see the sadness in your eyes my dear. You try so hard to hide it, but I know you better."

Her eyes widened, and with a futile voice she replied, "Father I'm not sad." She pulled on her best political smile.

"As you say my dear. Emotion is nothing to be ashamed of." Nodding her head, she kissed his cheek.

"I'm sorry that I could not go with you to the docks and wave you off." Her father stood back once again, and the servants came back into view.

"No need. The people after all should come first." He smiled sadly.

"I will always love you my child." He replied full in any father's deep love.

"I love you daddy." Hugging him once more, she set off saying her farewells to all the servants who had been her friends since she was a child; they all loved their princess. Her father though stood in place smiling truly. She hadn't called him daddy since her mother died. And with that one simple word he saw her vibrant sapphires twinkle once again.

The docks smelled delicious crisp and fresh with a little hint of fish wafting around the area, but that was to be expected. It seemed as thought the entire city and some of the surrounding little villages had gathered to see her off. Kaoru smiled in the mist of it all, as she said her final farewells to her friends in the town and the orphanage children who would surly miss her. Time rushed by at a marathon rate for her because in what seemed a couple of moments she was being escorted on to the vast wooden ship adorned with brass linings.

The ship was magnificent. It's pale cream veils flapped in the westward wind sounding like a mighty bird flying over the high above the mountains. Her steps were smooth as she walked up the platform to the deck of the hardened vessel that was to take her to Hiten, she had outgrown her childness clumsiness, or at least she had tried to. Around people she was able to be remarkably graceful and elegant, something that require some amount of concentration, but she had pulled it off with time. Though sometimes it would come back at unexpected times, to her clumsiness was innate, just as it was for her mother.

Walking to the side of the deck where the huge crowd of over a thousand was gather she lifted her hand and waved good bye. They returned her favor with might cheers that rose up to meet the tips of the mountains. A sudden sadness filled her heart...this was no longer her home, she would not longer see her beloved people, but when another higher adulation of yells rose her mind went blank to all else and she smiled warmly whispering to herself, "Farwell O Beloved Kadir."

Distantly back in condors of Ivory Hall, a the King of Kadir rose from his table, as did the ten other parliament members who weren't able to wish their princess goodbye, walked to the window hearing loud cheers of praise and looked out giving the wind his last parting words to his daughter. "My child, fare you well."

In a matter of hours the grand vessel was far past the City of Lome, and on its way to the sea of Hiten, better known as Tethela Sea. It was a fresh water sea and all else around it was land locked for the most part, since Hiten was in the central spot of all the Kingdoms and was enormously grander in size as well as in stature.

The Chain River flowed into the sea as it was connected by five over major rivers; the Mahla River, Chasque River, Tribunate River, Silver River, Anomcity River. They all flowed together at one point a hundred leagues away from reaching the sea.

"Princess I hope your trip is enjo- ...pleasant so far." The captain held his tongue from the ironic word of enjoy. She the lass surely wouldn't; being married off to some chap that she didn't even know, no matter if he was the Prince of the Nation he was still a stranger to her.

Kaoru turned her head from the wind and smiled childness at him, something she rarely did. She loved the feeling of sailing. The wind in her hair, the smell of the water, the feeling of the lullaby rocking ship. She was taught how to sail early, so she knew her way around the deck as well the rest of the ship.

"Yes, Captain Kleta. You know very well that I love ships." Her eyes sparkled for a second as they once had when she was younger, and it wasn't unnoticed by the Captain. He was in his middle thirties having a round belly that shook jolly when he let out one of his riotous laugher that came and went like summer storms, with expressive brown eyes and floating black hair that curled up against gravity, but it was always neatly tucked underneath his red sea cap.

"When will we reach the Tethela Sea?" She asked looking around and waving to some of the crew who she had become friends with instantly.

"In a few days, maybe around six at the most. It depends on lady luck and the Lord's winds." He replied.

"You know I have always thought that Tethela Sea was a beautiful name." She sighed smirking at her comment. "I have always wanted to name my daughter that if the Lord so blessed me with one." Kaoru looked at him and the back in front of her repeating the name. "Tethela...I wonder what it means."

"It means 'Blessed Sorrow'." The captain tore her thoughts. She looked mutely at him.

"Lass did'ja know why the sea was named that?" Her head instantly shook her head in excitement. "Ya, you never heard the story?"

"No sir, I was always too busy. Not even as a little girl do I remember hearing lots of legends." He nodded.

"I see...well," He sighed, "I guess I will have to tell it then."

A crew member who was near to them had heard the last part of the conversation and yelled out whiningly cheerful. "Princess! Look what you did now! Your going to have him say _another_ legend! May God help us now!"

The crew members who were on board starting laughing promptly after the statement as well as Kaoru. She hadn't had this much fun since....she didn't have to ponder about that now.

"Silence you scurvy animal!" The captain joined in on the fiasco.

"Yes captain." The man saluted dumbly. Shaking his head the Captain turned back to her.

"Anyway what I was saying the sea has a story behind it. Would you want to hear Princess?"

"Yes please do, and don't call me princess." She smiled.

"The legend tells a story of a time a millennia ago in Hiten, this of course was when all the nations were one." She nodded and he continued. "Well there was a girl who went by the name of Tethela. Legend states she wasn't a girl of great beauty, she was just lovely girl with an even lovelier soul, and she was determined to give her life up to God that is until the young reigning prince of that time, Zavlier, went missing. The kingdom searched throughout the land but not a trace of him was to been seen."

Kaoru listened intently to the captain's story, her hand gripping the rail as the old man eyes became a mist color. "That is until she found him. She was in her region, which is now Slader, when he was washed up on the banks of the Silver River. She took him to where she dwelled, a little hut off the bank and slowly nursed him back to heath. He slept for about a month, in a coma like state, and she felt a great compassion for him and need to care for him. She found out by his injuries that he had sustained a massive head wound and floated down the river, and when he woke and saw her face he felt as though he never wanted to leave her. Now he knew who he was, but the girl did not. He was a decent prince; strong, but arrogant, kind, but greedy, dutiful, but overbearing, but the girl would not stand for it, and from the moment he had seen her he was in love."

He started to walk about the deck, "His rash behavior and arrogance and her humbleness and elegance clashed together like fire and water, but they soon found common ground, through the mist of their differences they found that they loved one another, but her want to only belong to God was one difference that challenged them too much. She loved him with all her heart, but she was confused. Slowly but surely through their time together she changed him into a better man. Most everyone say it was she who made him into one of the greatest kings this land has ever seen."

Kaoru nodded, King Zavlier, was one of the greatest kings the land had ever seen. It was by his actions that he gave reign over different regions to his most trusted companions. Through his rein it was called The Era of Serenity.

"But the time came when royal guards came upon her house looking for the prince. It had been a year since his disappearance, and it was then that they found him. You couldn't have imaged what she felt; deceived, hurt, and happiness. He couldn't bear to leave her, soon he took her with him. They spent another five years together, before she left him to do what she had always wanted; serve the Lord and help others. It was by the sea where she bid him farewell with a heavy heart, and for the first and last time kissed him gently under a pale moon. She went alone on a small boat against his wishes, but there was nothing he could do for she was gone into the night sea."

Sighing he smiled. "She was a loss to the whole Kingdom because in those five years everyone came to love her dearly. It was said that that night see gave him something precious to her, no one knows what it is. It is said only the royal family of Hiten knows it and keeps it, but what legend does tell is that Zavlier never married, and he was true to her till the very end of his days. As for Tethela she was never heard from again.

Some say that she drowned that night on the sea. Others say that she went to far distance lands to help others, and others say that she never went anywhere. It was said that some people saw her roaming around the city streets of the capital but to these I know not." Smiling regretfully he sighed.

"Sorry that I'm not that great of a story teller...that was the short version." She smiled and shook her head. She had really enjoyed listening to him, and she told him as such.

"But I do have on question though. Why didn't she marry him? she could have served God at the same time." Kaoru had sometimes thought of never getting married, but now that was out of the question.

He sighed, "She wanted her life for God, that and she knew that she wasn't of royal lineage. She didn't want to hold him back, that is what I was told, and also she never knew how he loved her. My mother told me that she never fully believed him, I do not know why."

Silently she nodded her head. Could she believed if some said they loved her? Would she accept it fully? Truthfully Kaoru was terrified at the thought of love and...marriage, but it was something she was obligated to do. Nothing, not even her phobia of it would stop it now.

"So now do you understand the name 'Blessed Sorrow' and why the sea is named in her honor?" Kaoru nodded again. The girl, Tethela, was a blessing because she changed the prince for the better and helped the land, and she was a sorrow because she honored his love but still never gave hers fully to him and in the end left him in sorrow. It was truly one of the best stories she had ever heard, very far apart from all the stories she had read...most dealing with politics or history.

Looking further towards the west Kaoru basked in the setting shimmering sun that bleed the color red. The sun was dying being replaced by the pale perfect face of the moon. It was like a golden skinned person slowly dying and then becoming pale once dead. It was a morbid thought she knew, but fascinating at the same time.

She walked to her cabin that she only held the essentials on her request, she need not to be pampered, she would get plenty of it the rest of her life. Thinking further she wondered, as she fell into a dreamless sleep, if she would be able to help rule as she had done in Kadir. It had always been said to her from other women that other kingdoms would not stand for such an unorthodox situation. She wondered if it was true.

A/N: Hey everyone! PLEASE REVIEW...PLEASE!!!! Okay well thanks to everyone who read my story....I know, I know ya'll are probably wondering when Kenshin and the rest of the RK characters are going to come. Hopefully Kenshin will show up in the next chapter, and sorry that the legend was so sucky .

Okay can ya'll please help me think of situations to the scene when Kenshin and Kaoru will finally meet, if you want to please give me some ideas! Okay well got to go. Bye!

Don't Hate Me,

CrypticMaidenRK


	4. A Pounding Storm

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Aren't copy right laws horrible, except when they are protecting your work? When they protect others it just plain sucks!

_Minds are like parachutes. They only function when they are open._

Sir James Dawar(1877-1925)

**May You Never**

Chapter Four: A Pounding Storm

Kaoru felt her stomach churn like butter. They had passed the entrance of the Sea of Tethela; a huge white structure built on both sides of the massive river. It was built going steady up until it reached a summit about seventy five stories in the air followed by cups of fire at the very top which were always lit, while carvings of Hiten's history were engraved onto the white stone.

It was magnificent, Kaoru thought as she passed it not a few minutes ago. Looking back behind her she could still see its white glimmer and burning cups of yellow. If there was ever to be a more accurate sign to tell anyone that they were now in the Land of Hiten it would have been that and maybe...a huge banner. She shrugged.

They had been on the river for five days now, and making good time which meant that they should reach the port of Sadiva, the capital of Hiten, by the evening. She had heard rumors on and off the ship as they where docked in a few middle ports that Sadiva was one of most exquisite sites in the world. Kaoru knew it had to be. Why would they put the capital anywhere else but perfect. Still, even if it were perfect nothing could replace her mountainous home land.

The river too had widened in width as it slowly turned into the sea. She could barley see the banks of the river; they were so far from her, and when she squinted she could make out flags waving silently in the wind, and brown, white, and peach castles stuck against the horizon that was filled with huge lush trees that stood like mountains. And when she had asked the captain for his binoculars she could make out well built roads made of flag stone and slate brick.

She had expected nothing less from this Kingdom.

Far out in the distance she saw two stone towers on the edge of the sea turning river holding together a very high bridge that had huge columns of stone crash into the water for support. She had never seen such a sight.

Remembering a few days before they had gone for hours at a time without seeing any sign of man, but they were no longer on the Chain. Now little skiffs and boats rocked in and out with their nets, gaffs, and coils of rope. It was a lively sea.

So this was her country, she thought to herself.

It had been another hour since they passed the bridge, and nothing but water was to be seen. Her raven hair flowed around her as she pulled it back once again having her sapphire eyes narrow in agitation. She had lost her only hair tie on the third day, and she was stuck wearing her hair down. It hadn't been easy.

"Princess you had better get some rest." A young deck hand came next to hear. She hadn't even heard him.

Smiling carefully at him she replied, "Thank you for your concern Sir Hiture, but I will in due time. Don't worry."

"We should be there by the sunset or maybe earlier." He slide a glance at her. Her face was distant as if she were looking at something no one could see but herself. "Princess?"

"Yes." She said shaking out of her daze.

"Thank you for doing this." He proclaimed and before she could answer he had already walked away. Her hand was raised wanting to pull him back, but lowering her head she dropped it slowly by her side. She felt so tired all of a sudden. It seemed to her as if she had existed a thousand years, and had never lived. This was her first time out of Kadir, and for once she was intimidated.

She was marrying a man she didn't know, a man who probably was arrogant and spoiled, a man of great power and greed, a man who probably didn't give a thought to his people...a man named Battousai. She shivered. She had to be strong, show him and the rest of Hiten that they would never scare her. Never.

Her head pounded; she need to lie down; she needed to rest. She stepped off the deck and went to her cabin that smelled of wet water and fresh wind. There was a little circular window that let her look out onto land, if it had been there, while it filtered in some much needed light.

Her bed looked so welcoming that she quickly tossed a book off that she had been reading the night before. It had been interesting enough, a history book it was, she always adored history. _"The Foundations of Hiten"_ by Ueten Haliter. If she was to become queen of the land she would have to know about the land's history; she had to know what she would be dealing with. It was the last thing she remembered thinking before she fell asleep in a deep slumber.

"Princess you must wake up." A man's deep voice pounded next to her ear.

She woke up in an instant rubbing her head, groggily. "Are we there?" He shook his head making platinum long hair wave in the motion. Nodding she got up and asked him to leave so she could dress.

Walking to a wooden iron cast chest at the end of her bed and bent down and opened it, and almost fell doing so. There was a constant pounding outside, and Kaoru look up from grasping her bad to the small window. It was pouring.

A loud clap of thunder drummed through the darkening sky. She shivered. She had always loved storms especially on the sea. It always reminded her of good times when her mother...

Placing her feet apart to steady herself she tried to open the chest again managing it perfectly. She was to wear, for her opening appearance, Kadir's colors; silver, and white.

Pulling out the dress her eyes smiled. It was so beautiful.

It was long and flowing in layers of satin and silk. Her sleeves dropping off at her shoulders that had the material puff up an bit as it was circled lower on her arms by silver ribbons having the rest of the snow white material flow down uncontrolled past her hands. A silver ribbon also adorned her waist line, also having decorative ribbon strands at the collar of her dress, and where the dress meet the wooden floor precious clear beads adorned the hem in no specific pattern.

Kaoru looked at herself in the small brass lined mirror and smiled. For once she actually looked beautiful in her eyes.

With a quick flip of her raven hair she bent down to close her trunk, but the top of the trunk never meet its twin because a silver glint caught her eyes.

There it was.

Her mother's tiara.

'Don't cry.' She shushed herself. Bending slightly she gingerly touched the simple diamond band. It was small simple and glorious. It was almost a sin to put in on her raven head, so instead she just held it silently having nothing but warm memories over flow her. Looking down again there was a note on the bottom of the silky trunk.

A curious glow lined her eyes. Picking up she felt the years of weight on it. The parchment had become yellow with time and made cracking noises when she opened it, and there in elegant loopy writing was a letter from her mother.

_My Dearest Daughter,_

_My time is fading fast. Your father says I will be alright; that silly man was always such a liar. I feel the Lord calling to me, its becoming louder everyday, but Kaoru I'm so scarred. I don't want to leave yet. There is so much I want to say to you my dear, my only child. I want to be there when you marry, I want to see you grow with every spring, I want to be able to cry when I see you leave Ivory Hall, I want to teach you about men, and I want to be there for you when you have your own children. _

_My daughter, go with courage and don't be like me, don't give up on life, nor love. Never loose faith in the one above, and take care of your father for me. Kaoru...if you could only see me now you would be ashamed. I'm crying. You always thought I was so strong, Kaoru, but I'm nothing but flesh and blood. Easy torn, battered, and seared. Easily weak. Remember Kaoru we are only as strong as the Lord makes us. Remember that I will always love you. Go with life and do what you have to do with your head held up high. Never look down upon others, and never, never give up hope no matter what. God has you in his hand always and he will always bring you back when you go astray, God knows what better for you than you do._

_Please, Kaoru remember me as I use to be. Remember me full of life and love for my land and family, please don't remember me in this bed sick and delirious when that time comes. Please, daughter Live._

_Love Forever and For Always,_

_Queen Saco Frien Malay Bontiea Kamyia, of Kadir_

_Your Mother_

Kaoru felt her tears drawing near. Her breath hush. She couldn't breath. "Mom." She cried out loud. Lowering her head she pleaded with herself not to cry. She had never cried for her mother; if she ever did then she would be letting her go forever. She didn't want her pain to go away for fear that her mother would go with it.

Her mother asked her to live, go with God, and never lose faith. She had done those things...except for Live. Shaking her head Kaoru laughed silently.

'What are you talking about Kaoru, you are living? What are you doing right now?' She thought reprimanding herself. There was a knock at her door.

"Princess. Will you please come into the captain's den? We are almost there." Kaoru heard the voice clearly and was thankful for the interruption. She needed the change of thoughts, or at least something to distract her from her memories.

Kenshin stood looking out towards the sea of one of the many vast circular windows that stood feet taller then himself or even his father. It was raining. The sound against the stone numbed his mind. The city had become desolate and quite as everyone went for shelter from the rain. The lively city now looked bleak and gray. He hated rainy days, because it was then that his memories haunted him. He hated rain just as he hated sleep for those memories took the shape of dreams. He hadn't had a dreamless sleep in seven years, and it was all because of _her_.

He sighed. She was suppose to be coming today; The Princess of Kadir, Kaoru Kamyia.

His long crimson hair floated around him held back by a simple leather band at the nape of his neck. He walked closer to the opened aired window holding out his hand to catch the cloud's tears.

Who was this princess? everyone he had asked had barely heard anything of her. The only thing anyone told him was that she cared for her people very much, and did the job of a man. The ladies of his court snickered about it in their gossiping groups, and Kenshin for some unexplainable reason felt a tightening of his jaw. They were talking about _his_ future wife. A woman that sounded a mere dream to him and dreams were never good.

He had always wanted to marry a woman unlike the rest, and from the little he heard she was very unordinary. Or that's how he use to think before _she _came along. His sister Shura had talked about her, though not in a spiteful manner. All she had said was that she sounded very particular and strange, even though Shura herself loved to be in control.

His violet eyes dropped to his infamous sword that always was by his side. He had killed; killed so many and so brutally because of his hate for that woman who stool his heart. Women to him now were nothing but novelties. Nevertheless, he wanted to meet this future wife of his that would give herself up to a man that she never knew just to help her people.

He laughed.

'That father of hers probably made her.' He thought back to the King of Kadir, but something in his mind stopped him from thinking further. All Kenshin knew was that he never wanted to love again. Love was something for fools and weaklings, and he had ridden himself of that long ago. His only purpose was to work; work hard and die hard. His mind was only for his people of all his lands, and by God eyes he would do it.

His black garb matched the castles romantic furnishings of long past. The palace was beautiful and ancient. Grey stone, new marbled, flag stone, and slate decorated every corner of the palace. It stood on the outside like a golden fort, because the white stone was embed with particles of gold.

He strode down the now closed palace condors, whose walls were meters apart in width, and lighted with beautiful chandeliers shinning down upon the patterned titled floor until he came upon a massive oak door.

Without knocking he strode inside.

"Hey Kenshin." Kenshin was startled for the most part, but hide under the mask he always wore. He rarely talked now a days.

"Sano what are you doing here?" He smirked at his long time friend, looking at the other people in the enormous sitting area.

His sister Shura, along with Prince and Princess Aoshi, and Megumi, a young Prince named Yahiko who adored him, and his confidant Tomoe.

They all sat around the fire place which was seated in the middle of the room surrounded by rising brick. It was an usual room decorated by the late King Odeon many centuries past.

"I just arrived now I heard you were getting married to Missy." Sano smiled.

He had gotten the news a mouth ago that his best friend Kenshin, Prince of Hiten was marrying Kaoru. He hadn't seen her since a year after her mother died. It was like she didn't want to see Soujiro, Misao, or him ever again. Karou wasn't the same their last visit.

They always went over to Ivory Hall every summer to spend time with one another, but that ended when Kaoru metaphorically died. He missed her.

"Missy." Shura laughed. "Who are you talking about?" Shura said smiling over at her brother as he sat next to her on a huge crimson couch. "Kenshin is getting married to that Princess from Kadir, Kaoru Kamyia."

Sano smiled as he sat next to his fiancé, Megumi Princess of Storlim, and her brother Aoshi who nodded to him. Megumi and him had a long past of fighting, making fun of one another and causing chaos at every ball they attended together. That is until they finally realized that they loved each other and got engaged. Kaoru never wrote him a congratulatory card.

"I never told you guys about her did I?" Megumi's hand tightened on his, but all he did was smile.

This awoke Kenshin's attention. He knew her. None of the royals that he talked to knew her, and he had asked all of the in the past month except for Sano, and the Prince and Princess of Anteal.

"What do you know of her, Sano?" Kenshin asked his voice steady, but having a cheerful cover. He wanted to know all. "And please don't leave anything out. I would like to know about my future wife some what before I meet her." He smiled a little.

All eyes were on Sano, and he liked the attention. "Well what do you wan to know."

"Well," Shura ventured, "What does she look like?"

"How about I start how we meet. Not allot of people know about her." Sano went on. Tomoe smiled.

Her silent voice broke his, "Yes, we are all aware of that Sano." He smiled dumbly back.

"I remember when I was younger about Princess Misao, and Prince Soujiro and I always went to Ivory Hall to play for the summer. We all meet about sixteen years ago. Kaoru and Misao were three and Soujiro and I were about eight." Sano smiled at the memories.

"You should have seen the land of Kadir, and the capital Lome. It was breath taking. Any way we all became the best of friends and the times with Kaoru and the others were some of my best childhood memories. She was always so good, but I tainted her because when she was with me she became so mischievous. It was so funny every time we got caught."

Kenshin stayed silent. She sounded tiring for what Sano was telling about her; way to childish, but then what about those others...

"That is until her mother died nine years ago." His voice became broken. "He mother was an angel that graced this world. She was like a mother to me to all of us. When she died Kaoru died with her. We all went one more summer to Ivory Hall, but when we arrived Kaoru was nothing but a shell; she was empty. All she did spend her time working on helping other. It didn't matter that she was only ten years old, she did anything. She read about politics, about history. She worked at an orphanage; she spent her time in village visiting sick people. She pled with her father to be able to go to parliament meetings, and he let her."

Sano's face dropped. "When we asked her why she never acted like she use to she always replied, 'I have a duty, and that's all that matters.' She changed. She never got angry anymore, and if she did she never showed it. She barely laugh, barely truly smiled, but she remained kind and loving to everyone.

She treated everyone as if they were royalty and if she were a servant, and she gave up her passion of swordplay. If you ever knew her, you knew that she loved fighting, but even when we asked she shook her head. That was the last summer we ever spent with her.

We all wrote to her and she never wrote back, her father always replied instead saying that she was sorry but Kaoru was traveling the Kingdom working. He wrote that she never acted like a child anymore; she acted more mature than any other adult. And we knew too, because she has never gone to a ball or any other festivity. You know because none of you have ever seen her. I know that she doesn't ever pay attention to anything but her country now a days.

I think she doesn't mean to ignore her friends, but she works endlessly, and even when I wrote her of Megumi and I's engagement, she never wrote back."

Sano finished quietly, and not a sound was to be heard. Kenshin stood still thinking about his future wife. Was she as Sano told she was? In his mind swam a picture of a detached angel; a girl that was lost and confused, and need his help. His eyes widened, and he shock his head. 'I think God is playing tricks with my mind.'

Megumi was the first one to speak up first. "She sounds inconsiderate. She sound have a least written a two word letter that said Congratulations Sano on it." Her voice was high and arrogant. Sano was to kind of a man to be treated like that; she wasn't even thinking of herself. She could have cared less if a dreary Princess that barely anyone had heard of wrote to her. "I mean she use to be your best friend."

Kenshin felt a muscle in his jaw tighten and pulse. Megumi, one of his dear friends, was talking about his future wife, and for some reason he felt as though he wanted to slap the silliness out of her when almost everything that she had told him for years before was always of wit and logic.

Aoshi spoke up then, for out of his silence. It was rare and when he spoke an aura of strength flowed around him. "Sister, we do not know the reason for the Princess doing so. Make no judgments now."

Megumi glared at her brother; lips drawn and tight, but she sighed. "You are right Aoshi. I should wait to meet her before I make any judgments." Sano placed his hand on hers and she immediately smiled. She loved that silly rooster head.

"Kenshin, I'm going down stairs." Yahiko who had tried to ignore all there stupid talk had gotten board and wanted to go see Tusbsume, Sano's sister.

Kenshin smiled nodded his head to the young Prince of Chenel. "Go converse with Princess Tubsume, Yahiko." Kenshin smiled at the boy as he turned a crimson red, not only from embarrassment, but anger as well.

Sano and the others just laughed, expect for Aoshi giving a quick grunt. They all knew of his thing of Sano's younger sister. Sano got up and patted him on the back. "You have my blessing to court her little Yahiko." He laughed.

"Shut up rooster head. And I'm not little!" Sano and Yahiko continued there shred until Kenshin got mixed between the two of them and told them to break it up as he always did. It was quite tiring work.

Yahiko threw one more insult before she walked through the door leaving Sano laughing.

"I'm interested about meeting my soon to be sister in law." Shura smiled at her brother's frown. Her short blackish blue hair swirling around her cheery face. "She sounds interesting." She quietly sipped her tea.

"Yes, she does sound interesting Shura. She is quite the mystery and the center of gossip now a days." Kenshin sat back down on the plum sofa next to his confidant Tomoe, Princess of Bilato.

"Tomoe what do you have to say. You have been silent this whole time." Kenshin spoke smiling a little. Tomoe smiled back and set down her cup.

"I'm just worried about Enshi. He has been gone so long." Kenshin face became stiff. He and Enshi you to be quite close; always training and hunting together, but that changed as soon as _she_ came. Enshi warned him to stay away, but he had been to arrogant and prideful to listening. Instead he accused Enshi of wanting her for himself, and that was their parting of ways.

...and Kenshin wouldn't apologize, and Enshi didn't have to do anything because he was right for the first time. Enshi had always been so brash, that no one ever paid heed to him. He was the boy who always cried wolf for fun. From then on Kenshin relied on Tomoe and Sano more. He and Tomoe when they were younger had a brief season of summer love, but they soon found that they were better off as friends.

She was now engaged to a wonderful man that Kenshin had always trusted; Akira, King of Glademere. She was overjoyed showing it humbly from time to time.

"Where is he now?" Sano asked laying his head against the couch. Tomoe shook her head, "I wish I knew."

Aoshi got up and went to the window searching for something it seemed. "But on a better note, I cannot judge your future wife Kenshin. I do not know her."

"Thank you." He replied. "I think it is best if we all waited to asset her personality and what kind of person she is." He got up again and went to stand next to Aoshi.

"The royals of the Kingdoms are starting to arrive." He informed Kenshin. Kenshin put and hand on his back and squeezed.

"I do not know if she is coming Aoshi." Kenshin's eyes were remorseful.

"I don't know what your talking about Himura." Aoshi looked him dead in the eye and walked out of the room.

"He misses her so much." Megumi sighed. "She is such a rash girl, that Misao, but I love her dearly."

"I don't think she ever knew that he had feelings for her." Kenshin put in gently looking towards the closing door. Sano nodded.

"I think her and Soujiro are still away across the ocean." He held Megumi's hand. "I think they should be coming back soon."

Sano's eyes lowered thinking of some of his dearest friends, "Misao was never so rash before, I mean she was wild, but when Kaoru stopped talking to her it was like her losing a sister." Kenshin looked out the window. The rain was still dancing along the glass. He hated the rain.

"Hey lets stop talking about sad memories." Megumi put in smiling as she looked at Tomoe. "Tomoe when is Akira coming." The quite angel's eyes lit up.

"He should be here by now." Tomoe said getting up faster than normal. Smiling slightly at them and blushing just a tad, she muttered a quick see you later, and went off.

The others just stayed in a companionable silence with only the sound of china clapping together and sweet in take of breath that is until a door opened suddenly scaring everyone except Kenshin and Sano who could feel the man's ki coming a mile away.

Kenshin stood straight. "What's the matter?" His voice was cool and calm. Sano felt a bad feeling wash over him, but didn't let it show.

"The Princess." He was running out of breathe. "Princess Kaoru...her, her carriage..."

Kenshin and Sano rushed up to the informer. "What about the Princess?" Kenshin's voice came out a bellow. What happened to his wife? What, why was her calling her that already. Why did he worry about her?

Sano looked at Kenshin quickly startled at his tone of voice, but it soon turned into a smile.

"She jumped..."

A/N: Hey guys sorry...I just couldn't resist. It was such a good cliff hanger. Please review if you want to see what happens next. Did Kaoru runway? Did the carriage turn over? Did someone attack her? Did she go crazy with grief? What will happen to her?

I'm planning on getting the next chapter out soon, but if I don't just know its because I'm either a) dead, b) in the hospital, or c) family problems. But sorry to do that and please I'm begging of you to review and try to guess what she did and why she did it. It will be fun, and please tell me anything else you would like me to do to make thins story more enjoyable for you and don't be scarred to say it all.

Don't You Just Hate Me,

CrypticMaidenRK


	5. During the Storm

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

_The shortest distance between two points is under construction.  
--Noelie Altito _

**!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

A/N: Hey people. I know I haven't been real specific on the ages of the RK group so here they are...hopefully they match that at the time line. There also seems to be some confusion about certain things as well with the characters pairings.

Kaoru Kamiya- 19 single child

Misao- 19, Soujiro- 25 brother and sister, absolutely not an item

Sano-25, Tubsume-15 brother and sister

Yahiko-16 single child

Kenshin- 25, Shura- 20 brother and sister

Aoshi-25, Megumi- 23 brother and sister

Tomoe-23, Enshi-25 brother and sister

Okay and one of you have asked about pronunciation...I will try my best to explain them to you, and you all know how_ good_ that's going to be. I really need an editor.

If it bothers you the way I spelled my names and the pronunciation is weird, well I'm really sorry. This is how I say them in my mind.

Pronunciation: Only the ones I think are confusing

-Lands

Land of Aekinia (Ack-in-a)

Kingdome of Kadir (Kad-ear) This is the only way I can explain how I comes in my mind. Sorry.

Kingdom of Anteal (An-teal)

Kingdom of Storlim (Stor-lim)

Kingdom of Bilate (Bill-ate)

Kingdom of Liyla (Lil-e-a)

Kingdom of Drilic (Der-ril-ic)

Capital of Hiten, Sadiva (Sa-diva)

Nation of Uthum (Youth-um)

Tethela Sea (Tea-thell-a)

-People

Duke of Saete (Say-eta)

Princess Ayria Yure Jekel Arobchech (Ay-rah)Only first name

Captain Kleta (Kl-ta)

Sir Hiture (Heat-ure)

If there is anything else that I can do for you just please tell me. Like the lands...I remember two people were confused a little. Let me Explain.

Land of Aekinia is one huge nation and inside that nation lies ten different kingdoms: Kadir, Hiten...so on and so forth. Hiten Rules over all of Aekinia, but gave land away to trusted nobles a long time ago the nation would be easier to manage.

**May You Never**

Chapter Five: During the Storm

She had jumped. What else was there to do?

It had all started when she was rushed down the vessel in the pouring rain, and was then swept up into a carriage made of champagne satin warmly lit by some form of a glowing candle.

She hadn't even give a proper farewell to the Captain or his crew as her guards were so hurriedly replaced by new ones dressed in velvet crimson and gold, with dark silver swords that their sides; getting drenched in the rain. Really did they have to send guards? She moaned internally.

They started off, down the streets; a constant galloping noise in her ears that would've on any other occasion put her to sleep, but for some reason she felt as though she needed to look outside where little crowds of people were gathering from the inside of their houses and coming out just to see her. She wanted to desperately to say to them, 'Go back inside. You'll catch a cold.' But though she thought this she did nothing.

The city seemed so drab in the rain, but Kaoru just smiled, positive that it was indeed beautiful. Her thoughts were momentarily swayed from the outside of the carriage to what lay before her...him. Battousai the Manslayer; her future husband.

Every time Kaoru tried to say it out loud it never seemed to come; her tongue became numb and heavily. Maybe she just had to meet him first, she shrugged.

**"Beloved, look."**

A powerful voice rose through the carriage. Startled, she on habit looked outside and paled...a woman...a woman fell suffering. She was covered by filthy robes, and accompanied only by a small child who stood a few feet away from here in the rain; tears streaking down her dreary face. Kaoru noticed the others saw the woman fall, and just stood still as thought they were trying to make a dream go away.

Anger rippled through her.

Within an instant, for that's all that it took, Kaoru pulled off her tiara, throwing it to the side of the carriage and jumped out toppling to the ground from the wetness of the street and the momentum of the carriage. But she didn't care. She got up faster than she ever had and ran. Distantly she heard the screaming of the carriage wheels, distantly she heard the guards yell at her to stop, distantly she heard somewhere in her mind to keep going.

She paid no thought to anything, she just ran to where a small crowd stood, wide eyed, as a princess dressed in silver and white ran towards them passing them and fell next to a woman.

They backed up in disgust just as the guards pushed past them. "Princess? What are you doing? get away from that diseased woman." Scolded the commanding guard. "Rostell, go inform His Majesty what's going on." The solider scurried off.

Kaoru didn't pay attention to any of it though. When someone grabbed her arm she shook it of powerfully, and smiled with kind eyes to the woman and child. Gently she picked up the woman off the cold, wet street, and beckoned for the child.

They smelled like the port, and worse, but still Kaoru just smiled. "Its okay. You're going to be okay." She cooed softy to the woman who looked very young, maybe a use to be prostitute, and she guessed the little brown haired girl with big blue eyes was her daughter.

"Princess get away from her now!" The commanding guard called to her trying to get her away from the diseased woman.

His hand was on her shoulder, but she pushed him away gently, swallowing her anger. Her face was still towards the woman who with startled eyes tried to hide her face as though she had been beaten many times for it.

"Bring the carriage, and get her to the nearest physician." Her orders were soft yet firm. "Come here dear." Kaoru beckoned for the child who gawked at her, and most probably her dress that was now mauled with dirt and wet rain. Thank God the street was stone or else her dress might have been black, but the dress was always replaceable. With scarred steps the child came to her.

"Don't touch them Princess!" The same guard called out.

Her voice rose. "I gave you an order, sir, and you should follow it." She hadn't been that forceful nor her voice so deeply high since she last had an argument with Sano. She could tell that he backed away somewhat and she instantly felt sorry.

"I'm sorry. Just please get her to a doctor."

"But the King's orders-" He was trying to explain to her his duty. She understood, still she didn't care. He should have the duty, or at least the human compassion to help.

"Yes, but he isn't here right now I' am." Her voice was all commanding and gentle. He nodded his head for five men to go fetch the carriage, and he was smiling as he did so. Never had he seen a princess like her; kind, commanding, gentle. It was in that moment that he knew that she was meant for great things, and sworn solemnly by God's loving eyes to always serve her, and the people she loved

He bent down next to her as she tried to sooth both mother and child. 'What's your name ma'am?" Kaoru questioned rubbing the woman's hair. She was very aware that she was horribly diseased, but she was still a human and person that Kaoru couldn't help but love and care for.

"Are you an angel?" The little girl peeped out suddenly, huddling against her side. Kaoru smiled, just now noticing that a crowd had gathered around her. Some with disgusted faces directed at her and the woman, and others surprised and yet...something more...maybe adoration.

"No honey, I'm not." The little girl didn't look sad in the least. A quite, raspy voice spoke up.

"Ruth, she is the new Princess, remember what I told you." It seemed to take allot of strength for the mother to talk because right when she was done she started coughing blood that landed on Kaoru's dress. The guard instinctively tried to pull her away for health reasons, but she stayed put. The crowd gaped in horror and disgust.

"What type of Princess are you?" A man yelled out before he walked off. Kaoru ignored him and the guard paying no heed to her heath raised the woman up so she wouldn't choke on her own blood.

"Hey were going to get you to a doctor, okay." Kaoru tired to help the woman.

"I-I don't have the money." She blasted between coughs. Kaoru just smiled, "You don't have to worry about money. Let me do that." The guard smiled.

"Princess, the carriage." He pointed towards the now nearer carriage. It was still pouring Kaoru noticed, getting back all the rest of her senses.

"Put her in the carriage. I will ride or walk." She commanded as he stood looking kindly at the growing crowd. She was of course angered at them, but didn't show it. Picking up the little girl on her hip, the guard picked up the woman and put her into the carriage.

All eyes were on her as the remaining guards, wide-eyed, and silent in admiration stood a good way from her as thought not to disrupt her. Lowering her head to the crowd in a light bow closing her eyes, surprising the crowd that a princess would bow commoners, and said.

"Treat others the way you wish to be treated." It was quite, except for the pounding of the rain, but everyone heard quite clearly as the guilt settled on their hearts.

"What." Kenshin's voice was steel rather than his normal calm voice. Shura's eyes widened. She had jumped out of her carriage to help some commoner. Sano just leaned back on his heels smirking at Megumi.

"You see. What did I tell you...kind and caring." Sano just made a thumbs up motion when Kenshin's eyes pierced him.

"She was supposed to be here soon. What are all the royals going to think of her?" Kenshin said whipping around on his best friend.

"She's being a disgrace to her Kingdom." Shura put in nonchalantly smiling at her soon to be sister in law. She seemed quite the character, maybe even allot of spunk.

"Sir Ken," Megumi used an old nick name that she had called them since they were little. "You have to admire her for her...you could say devote spirit." Megumi thought inwardly. She may have not talked to Sano in quite a while, but herself being a trained doctor, she felt something akin to forgiveness to the girl.

"Is Hiko aware of this?" Kenshin demanded. The informant only nodded his head out of fear or the ragging Prince. Why was he so vexed?

Kenshin was just about to stride out of the room when a small hand was placed on his shoulder. "Brother, please calm yourself." Shura pleaded. If she knew her brother, which she did, she was aware of the fact that he was going to go saddle up his horse and try to go find the Princess and bring her as quickly as possible to the palace.

He seemed to settled somewhat. "Your right." Why was he so vexed about this affair? It was not as though he cared for the girl. He didn't even know her. Maybe it was because it would reflect badly on him. Yes, that was it; nothing more, nothing less.

"The Royals are in the Throne Room. We might as well get down there and wait." Megumi put in. "Besides, she is in the best of hands Kenshin. You are the one who assigned her guard unit."

They started for the Throne Room. "Yes, but I wish I was there to bring her to the castle. It would have been proper." Kenshin strode ahead of them all setting a very fast pace.

"From the sound of it Kenshin you seem to love the girl already." Sano teased good naturedly. Kenshin only glared, and he shut up immediately. He gave a quick smirk to Megumi pecking her on the cheek.

Through all the long corridors; opened aired and closed, and past many flights of grand staircases they finally reached the entrance to the Throne Room, and the introductions were made. Of course as they walked in there were many pleasantries and other types of protocol to be done, but it soon passed and finally Kenshin was seated nest to his father.

The other Kings from the different kingdoms were seated on smaller chairs that fell below the High King's in stair steps. Kenshin could almost feel everyone woman in the room lust after him. It sickened him and yet he felt a male pride that he could have anyone of them with a simple smile.

He did not look at his father. His presence was always overbearing like his own. The High King stood in a timeless elegance; brown hair swept back to the nape of his neck held back by a leather strap with some strands of hair falling forward. A huge white cape with a crimson hem was draped of his bulky shoulders covering his own black expensive grab. Kenshin felt his brown eyes upon him.

"What is it Hiko." He addressed him always by his first name. His father and himself saw no need to call him anything other than that.

"Your future bride ran into quite the adventure." He snapped his fingers having servants bring him a jug full of sake, and little silver cups.

"I'm not the one who chose her as I recall Hiko." His voice was steady and his eyes never once touched his fathers. They indeed did care for on another, but it wasn't something to be showed publicly or privately. How could he not feel love for his father who had raised him and taught him everything he knew; the good and bad. It was weird though that they were so different.

"My judgment is never false Kenshin." Hiko looked over his people who talked idly to one another gossiping about what just happened to the Princess. "Just listen to those fools speak about her." Kenshin didn't nod he had already been listening with a tight jaw.

"Mari, did you hear about the Princess?"

"Oh, I most certainly did. She jumped out of the carriage to help a diseased commoner. How disgusting it is."

"And just think of her dress. It was probably horrid anyway."

"What type of Princess is she?"

"She might as well be a man, she does their job anyway."

"Someone told me she was beautiful at all."

"How do you know no one has seen her."

"I'm just saying what I heard."

Kenshin heard his father laugh. "The fools. They will see what a princess is supposed to be like when they see her for what she truly is."

"What do you mean?" Kenshin inquired nodding his head towards some delegates. No one interrupted the King and the Prince during this time; everyone was too excited to see what the Princess would be like.

"I had a long talk with Korshiro myself before he left. His daughter is quite the delegate it seems." He laughed. "Duty bound he says, and brings up no silliness. She won't be a problem for you Kenshin."

Kenshin merely nodded. But why did he get the feeling that this girl would bring more problems to him that the one before. But before he could think anymore trumpets sounded off and the room became a deadly still.

Kaoru held the little girl tightly in the carriage. Her mother had passed away, but Kaoru thanked God. At least she had died in a warm bed, and Kaoru had promised her that she would take care off her little one. The brown haired girl had ceased to cry about five minutes ago. Kaoru had tired to explain to her that her mother was in a better place where the people there would treat her with love and kindness; it seemed to have worked a bit.

They were now on their way to the palace and by what Troy had told her they would be there in two minutes.

Troy, she smiled, he turned out quite different that she had expected, and in fact the whole guard unit had changed in the mist of the hour. At first they had been cold and distant, then utterly perplexed by her, and now they seemed to actually like her.

"Ruth, honey," The five year old blue eyes looked at her. "Were almost there okay. I will have you in my room okay, and I will meet you up there later okay." She nodded and settled her head back in her lap. Kaoru smiled at the girl, who it seemed had adopted her.

The carriage came to a stop, and for the first time since the incident Kaoru looked out.

It was huge. Fountain pools stretched far to the sides of her until she couldn't see. The trails of each side of them were canopied by many huge trees.

The main courtyard was made of white stone and had a stretching vertical pool for about two blocks going down to the entrance gate.

Leaves floated around of the side pools that laid a block away from Kaoru on each side, and inside the middle pool laid a huge monument that Kaoru had seen for the docks.

The entrance gate was something she had never seen before either. She was able to see it when she was a mile out on sea. It rose just as the entrance to the Tethela Sea did but had a blue strip tracing down it when it reached the highest peak. It was connected right to the city as well.

Just as Ivory Hall had been.

The city was another thing entirely. It stretched as far she as she could see curving ever so slightly. It had been massive, old, and so many ethereal trees.

The palace was beautiful and far grander and massive than Ivory Hall. It rose to enormous heights just as well as in length. She would surely get lost. It was a maze. It architecture was breath taking as well, so much that Kaoru couldn't express it in words alone.

"Princess." Troy exclaimed holding out his hand.

"Kaoru." She corrected smiling tightly, still holding the girl. She was well aware of the fact that she could get down herself, so to not offend him she asked him to carry the girl. He gladly took her and Kaoru was hand free to step down from the carriage.

A few servants from the palace rushed towards her as she placed on her tiara. The guards stood around her. "Kaoru, don't you think you should change. The women of this court are very harsh." Explained Troy while holding Ruth.

"No different from Kadir's court." Kaoru hid the pain in her voice perfectly. The servants had finally arrived and were about to bombard Kaoru with questions until Troy stopped them.

"Take the Princess to her room with her luggage immediately. She has had a rough night and needs to change before she meets His Majesty." Kaoru thanked him silently and smiled at the rest of the guards telling them she hoped to see them again soon. The men servants were already taking up her luggage and she held out her hand for Ruth who immediately took it putting a thumb in her mouth.

"Princess?" A maid questioned looking curiously at the little girl. Kaoru just smiled.

"This is my new friend Ruth. Will you please help her get adjusted to my room since she will be staying with me and..." Quietly she added, "Her mother just died." The maid looked shocked only for a moment but it was quickly replaced by a warm mother goose smile for Kaoru and the girl.

"Princess if you would follow us." She beckoned to the other three maids.

"Please all of you call me Kaoru." Not paying attention to what she just said they led her through the corridors of the palace.

Some of the halls were open aired, and some of them were closed lighted by enormous chandeliers. The ceilings of the enclosed halls were painted with different scenes of battles, angels, or murals of the kingdom. It was magnificent.

Kaoru couldn't help but gawk, and the little girl was tripping over her feet with excitement.

After what seemed like a eternity they strode into another open aired hallway that stood fours stories above the ground that over looked part of the city and garden as it curved around. Bowing the maid opened the door for her.

The room was exquisite. Deep earth colors adorned every corner, with flowers, and a small angel fountain in the sitting room. Wherever she looked there were crimson, gold, peach, and beautiful tans. The sitting room itself was about the size of her room. The flooring was of peach flag stone that was carpeted here and there, and the walls were hung with paintings of history.

Ruth was practically jumping up and down. "There is another small study or library upstairs." The black haired maid pointed to a winding stair case of the fare corner of the room.

"I have an upstairs." Kaoru mouthed. The maid looked at her awkwardly.

"You also have a beautiful garden view with stairs leading down to it." She smiled at the new Princess doubting that there was ever was person as queer as she was. Wasn't she use to extravagancies?

"Girls, lets get her cleaned up and out of those garments." Kaoru shook to attention. "Altria, please attend to the little one." The youngest girl nodded her head, and was off with Ruth at her hip.

"I can dress myself. I don't want to bother you." Kaoru said walking over to her luggage. "By the way just call me Kaoru. What are your names?"

Clearly the ladies were shocked. Never before had a royal asked of their names. The one who seemed the leader walk up to her smiling. "My name is Cassada." Kaoru smiled and nodded. She was quite beautiful with long wavy ebony hair, and expressive gray eyes.

The next maid's name was Reta. Kaoru had no doubt in her mind that she had by admirers. She was quite a catch with long blond hair braided down her back and green eyes. The last one was named Sermita, a younger looking girl sprinkles with freckles and long auburn hair and blue eyes that made Kaoru envious a little. Even though she had blue eyes, never had she thought them beautiful. In fact, she never saw here self as attractive.

"Now please ladies truly I can dress myself. I have since I was seven." They said nothing, chatting about different things as she cleaned herself. They asked her many questions and she answered them half heatedly, but her mind was elsewhere. It was in her room back in Ivory Hall, she pictured herself in her favorite spot in the garden maze of roses, and in her father's library talking about the country. She missed her home, her land, her people.

"Here wear this." Cassada announced picking a dress that she had never seen before. It had the colors of Hiten; crimson and gold. Nodding she put it on.

"Looks like she was telling the truth, Cassada." Sermita spoke quietly. They nodded their head in approval. Reta picked up her tiara and placed it on her head.

"You're simply beautiful." Kaoru just smiled at the empty flattery. She was never beautiful, but sometimes she could feel that false hope. She walked to the mirror in the other room and looked at herself. It was quite different from her dress.

The crimson dress clung to her body showing off curves that she never knew she had. She had usually worn loose flowing simple gowns of white, but this...this was sensual.

It rose to her throat, sleeveless and then hem of the collar was in gold ribbon that was fitted with rubies and once it got to her knees it flowed out.

She wore gloves of gold that went past her elbows, and her hair was still loose and flowing down her back like raven's wings as it was slightly pulled back the tiara.

"Want make-up?" Kaoru shook her head. She hated make up most of the time. "Are you ready, Kaoru?" She smiled. She was as ready as she ever was going to be, even though she would have preferred a different dress. She felt like a wanton in this, even though it really was that reveling at all.

Her silver tiara shined at the crown of her head. So what if it really didn't match; it was her mothers.

"Princess, a guard in waiting to escort you now." She nodded as a familiar feeling of numbness washed over her. 'Duty, Kaoru. Duty.' She chanted.

She smiled, refreshing her mask that she always wore, and walked out. "Please, take care of Ruth while I'm gone." The nodded and bowed making her sigh.

"Kaoru, don't worry everything will be fine." Troy coaxed as she walked the long halls with her same guard detail. She hadn't even noticed him.

"I'm not worried in the slightest Sir Troy." Her voice was calm, collected, everything that it was suppose to be. He nodded, she sounded fine. Almost as if she had done this time and time before.

They reached the entrance to the Throne Room in a matter of minutes. Troy said it was a short cut. "Breathe now Princess." He walked over to the announcer, and she inwardly shiver. She detested having her named called out as if she were some type of God, she didn't like the attention at all.

The golden door opened, and Kaoru heard the room become a deadly still. Only then did the announcer's voice proclaim.

"Her Highness, from the Kingdom of Kadir, Princess Kaoru Aentel Sispia Kamyia of Ivory Hall, of the Land of Equality." His voice was like a musical instrument; it pounded on her heart. _'Breathe.'_

She walked out further passing the announcer who bowed to her. There were so many people. So many eyes upon her.

She heard quite whispers float across the hall. It was big and beautiful just like everything else she had seen.

It vertical length was much bigger than it's width, and the ceiling was painted with dark colored angels and champagne clouds. Chandeliers decorated the top as well, and the side walls of the room were clear glass windows adorned with red satin curtains which held many drawings on them, but still a person could see the gardens and balconies.

She made her eyes strain forward. On the inside she was panicking, but not a single trace was to been seen on her face as she slowly descended the carpeted stairs.

She walked in humble elegance. Not a strand of arrogance was to be seen on her, but she held a quality of leadership and determination. She looked down, and there he was...Battousai...Kenshin Himura, and for the first time in her life her breathe was stolen from her lungs.

He was gorgeous. Perfect as a statue. Long crimson hair that put her dress to shame and amber...no violet eyes. She had never seen such eyes.

Still she had to keep on walking, she couldn't let herself be distracted or else she would lose her concentration on her balance and fall. She would always be innately clumsy.

She couldn't look anywhere but forward. She couldn't look at any other Kings or Queens that graced the High King, she could just look forward.

Suddenly she heard something that made her stop. She was distantly aware that she saw the Prince had got up and start walking towards her in greeting to lead her the rest of the way, but still she looked to her left where nobles stood watching her.

"Look at her. She is so incredibly horrid. Aren't Princess supposed to be beautiful?" A girl snickered lightly.

"You could make such a better Princess than she."

"I mean just look at what she's wearing."

When Kaoru looked at them they stood silent there mouths wide, scarred that the unknown Princess would lash out at them.

Kenshin knew something was wrong he could feel it from those girls. He had heard them when he was close enough. Years and years of training and battle experience made his hearing above average. And what he heard made his blood boil.

True she wasn't the most gorgeous woman in the world. He had seen many of those; all fake. But she, this Princess, captured his heart and made his head swarm. This was bad. She was lovely. Natural and simple, yet not plain, and her dress...it was though a fall angel had walked in. It showed just the right amount of curves, and just enough for the imagination.

And she was _his_.

He still walked towards her, he wanted to throw those girls out but what she did next astonished him as well as everyone else in the room.

Kaoru looked back at them, not mad, but her eyes were full of kindness, love...and sorrow. She smiled sweetly at them and bowed her head curtsying a bit and walked on leaving them to freeze in their own weakness.

Kenshin barely had time to recover from his shock, that was monetary, before she wan in front of him bowing lowly to the red carpet.

"My Prince." Her voice was quite yet strong, and sweet as honey. He contained his smile, holding out his hand.

"Welcome to Hiten, Princess Kaoru."

A/N: Sorry guys...its kind of another cliff hanger. I hope ya'll liked it! I tried my best if that counts for anything. I hope that Kaoru to ya'll doesn't seem fake, and don't worry this story won't be sad the whole time...but you know how Kaoru is. I should give her a big flaw to make her seem more real. Nah, I got an idea anyway...you guys already know it. She is detached from the world, and lives sometimes unrealistically: duty bound all the time....I don't know.

Well got to go for now. Please Read and Review.

Don't You Just Hate Me,

CrypticMaidenRK


	6. A New Old Idea

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin! So don't sue me.

_Blow, blow, thou winter wind  
Thou art not so unkind,  
As man's ingratitude. _

-William Shakespeare

**May You Never**

Chapter Six: A New Old Idea

It had been a long tiresome night; so many royals, so much protocol, so many fake smiles that when the clock chimed twelve Kaoru excused herself with the simple excuse that her journey had made her weary, and after another twenty minutes of farewells Kaoru left the hall only to get lost amongst the halls of the palace until Troy caught up with her. He was smiling.

"Thought your memory was that precise, Princess." Too tired to correct him she waved him off.

"Sorry that I didn't wait for you." But her mind was else ware; it was back in the Throne Room where for the first time in all her life her breathe was stolen from her, and it was all because of him; the one she knew as Battousai.

Her feelings for him were strange. She didn't know how to handle such emotions, and was all the more confused by them...it couldn't be love; she had just met him. She had walked the rest of the way with him to the High King who sat idly on a prodigious chair of gold piled up on tasteful scarlet cushions. If it were anyone else upon that thrown Kaoru would have thought it tacky, but the High King had made it elegant. How? Kaoru didn't know.

He had simply examined her, smirked, shrugged his head and spoke gruffly as if he didn't care. "I hope you live up to your father's expectations." Kaoru had at that moment wanted to slap his arrogant face, but pushed the emotion back inside and looked around spotting a childhood memory.

Sano, Kaoru frowned, he was there; his face bitter and strained as he looked at her. Kaoru wanted to forever forget that face upon his handsome visage. From what she could remember Sano always had a goofy smile about his lips setting his eyes dancing, but his face then...Kaoru shook.

There had been many other royals as well. The kings, queens, princes, and princesses from that lands of Storlim, Drilic, Anteal and so on and so forth; they were all gathered to welcome her. All were there except...Misao, and Soujiro who she had heard from a noble were off across the ocean returning as they spoke.

But still beneath the curtain of polite society she felt unwanted by the lot. They gave her looks of pure distrust, but could she blame them? Never before had she shown her face at Royal Gala, or attended any summer garden parties that the ladies loved to throw.

To them she was nothing but an unknown. Some of the ignorant might have thought her a bastard child; which she wasn't, and if they did she wouldn't be angry at them for thinking she was. She instead would raise her hand for her father's honor; her father was faithful to her mother till she died, and still yet after the grave. Never had she heard or seen that man cast a lusty eye upon any woman.

Kaoru thought on; the Prince wasn't as she thought he would be. Instead of pure arrogance, and blood lust, he had been patient, honorable, and seemed to really care for his people, but behind those valuable qualities Kaoru sensed arrogance, an overbearing persona, and a strict discipline code. Kenshin was stoic also, barely smiling when he didn't have to, and walked with power surrounding him that Kaoru could feel pulsing around her.

**"Beloved, you must remain strong."**

Kaoru looked up next to Troy, "Sorry, did you say something?" Troy looked at her shaking his head then looking forward once more. Maybe she was getting delusional from her lack of sleep.

She had wanted to talk to Sano. Tell him sorry for never answering his letter when they were younger, but she never got the chance as he came up to her giving a stiff bow and walked off. Later she heard from Kenshin, who looked at her strangely as if he were giving her an unknown test, that Sano was engaged to Princess Megumi of Storlim.

Kaoru went numb, she had never heard of the engagement. Or at least that's what she told him. She wasn't surprised Sano didn't write; she never wrote him back before. Never would he know how many times she had needed his friendship...all of their friendship. Even little Tubsume hadn't really talked to her. She had grown up so much and was the picture of beauty, and a long time ago she remembered telling Sano just that.

Tubsume seemed to shy around by a young Prince named Yahiko from Chenel; he was as any hormone driver lad was: rash, arrogant, and prideful.

At last she reached the open aired corridor that harbored her chamber. "Princess, may your night be well." Troy bowed and left eyeing the two gauds standing by her door. Sighing she gladly pushed open the door and smiled at the sight she saw.

A sweet darkness filled the room, and there lying on a plump sofa laid little Ruth. Moon rays reflected off brown hair that spilled over a push pillow and a dark red throw blanket around her as she had quietly placed her thumb in her mouth. She looked like a cherub that sang and danced in Heaven. It touched Kaoru's heart, and she wished that she could stay her little sweet self forever.

Kaoru closed the wide door behind her gingerly and tipped toe to the closet located in the other room, and took off her clinging crimson dress replacing it with long flowing green pants and a simple white sleeveless tunic which was hid under a long robe of the same color.

She walked back to the sitting room, picking up the young child, and took her to the bedroom which held a marvelous balcony and view of the garden. Ruth's eyes fluttered open for a moment and closed again having Kaoru do the same as well, and Troy would be pleased to know that Kaoru did indeed have a good night.

Kenshin stood out on his balcony that faced the city. It had long stopped raining and he was left with just the calm after the storm, and usually the memories of bloodshed that came with it, but tonight those thoughts never came. Instead his mind focused on a girl with long raven hair and the purest of azure eyes.

"Kaoru." The name rolled off his tongue like a desert wine. He closed his eyes. He shouldn't be having these feelings for her, not after what he had been through.

Closing his eyes he grabbed the clear brown bottle of whiskey that stood on the railing on the balcony and gulped its contents down in a fluid motion. It was fire-water, and soothed his anxious emotions. Shaking his head he tired to stop thinking and focus on the burring liquid that he was drowning himself in. But why did he drink? He never got drunk.

Sighing he slid down the side of the railing until he was sitting on cold marble. She wasn't gorgeous. He knew that, and definitely was a virgin. She was quite different than the hunting royals of the lot whose only merit was in bed. She was different, original, and a natural beauty that didn't hid behind paint.

But...there was something more to that girl that kept him up thinking about her. He didn't have the chance to talk to her really, a brief word here and there, but from the stories that Sano had told him she was dutiful, and charitable; qualities which she had held up to. He had found out later what really happened before she came from Troy, and was astonished.

But still her smiles weren't true, he knew; he was good at reading peoples emotions, and when he stood next to her when she met Hiko he felt her frustration and smiled as she pulled it back instantly.

At least she can control herself, he thought, but he knew it was a lie. He wanted to know the person that had felt angered at Hiko, he wanted to know the girl Sano had talked about, and at the same time he wanted to know her for her; for whose she was now.

He hit the side of the stone cradling his head. _'Stop.'_ He told himself. These weak feeling were nothing. Women were only good for one thing and one thing only. If he had been any another man he would have dragged himself to bed to get rid of such thoughts, but for him sleep was not an option. When he sleep worst things took a hold on him, and he had no want to review past memories.

He stayed there until a beam of light reflected of the whiskey bottle. The sun was rising and with it came the smell of a new sea. Walking into his room he collapsed on his bed knowing that his chamber maid would soon be by in two hours to wake him. Two hours wouldn't give his unconsciousness enough time to play with his soul.

Kaoru woke to a sweet little voice pleading for her to wake. "Um...excuse me." The girl's voice dropped a couple of notches when memories of the night before came back in crashing waves. Her mom had died, the person who she loved despite what people said about her, the woman who loved and took care of her since she could remember. Tears sprang to her eyes.

"Where is mommy?" Kaoru's eyes opened at the sound of her voice, and immediately went to sooth her as she did the night before.

"Ruth its okay." Ruth cuddled against her, still unable to understand the idea that she was a princess. Choking wails bouncing off the walls while Kaoru explained to her that she was in a better place and would always be in her heart.

"You know Ruth I lost my mother too when I was younger." The brown haired girl looked up with wide eyes. Wiping her tears with a clean sleeve she quietly replied.

"Did you miss her?" It was an innocent question that Kaoru didn't want to utter so she nodded.

"We girls must be brave. Do you think your mom would want to have you cry all day about her?" Ruth shook her head as Kaoru wiped a finger under her chin.

"Mommy would want me to be brave." Kaoru hugged her, but Ruth remained in detached spirits for quite a while. Kaoru pleaded with God to have her turn out different for Ruth; never would she want Ruth to be like her. Ruth was entitled to have cheer in her life instead of the despair that she was accustomed to.

Kaoru shuffled around her new rooms, trying to find where everything of hers was. "Ruth I will be upstairs for a moment." Kaoru called gently walking up the winding stairs entering the library slash sitting room.

Her mouth gaped. It was an octagonal room and upon each wall were volumes and volumes of literature. She had always adored books; a trait from her mother. There was also a cozy dark brink fire place that made Kaoru feel as though she were back in a little village in Kadir resting amongst those who lived in homely wooden cabins that she had grown fond of.

Running her hands along the book she came upon many novels containing fairy tales and legends. Smiling she picked one off the shelf and walked down stairs where she saw Ruth standing on the balcony.

"Ruth, do you want to hear a story." Kaoru waved a book at her. A smile made its place on her face.

"Really you will." Ruth practically jumped. "I have never heard a story from a book before." This didn't surprise Kaoru; she had seen many like her in Kadir's wilderness.

It was still early in the morning, the sun was just above the sea line, and they twosome spent their time reading and talking until a knock came at the door.

Kaoru got up putting the book down. "Come in." Inside walked a young maid.

"I was sent to help you dress Princess. The King would like to see you." Kaoru smiled at the girl, but shook her head.

"I can dress myself, but if you wouldn't mind." Kaoru looked at Ruth. "Could you please, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, find some nice garments for my friend here?"

The maid at little startled bowed and left. "Where are you going...umm...Princess?" Kaoru bent down and pinched her cheek.

"Why don't you call me Kaoru, eh?" The little girl giggled. "And _we're_ going to see the King." She became stiff.

Kaoru noticed her stillness and sighed. "Don't worry honey, I will be there."

"B-but what if I'm not wanted?" Kaoru face became troubled, and felt a deep remorse for the girl knowing what if felt like somewhat.

"Don't you worry about that." She smiled to coax the child.

In no time at all the twosome we're headed out of the room escorted by Troy once again. "Hello little one." Troy bent down to the girl and smiled.

"Hi." She blushed in adolescent wonder. Kaoru stood silently.

"I trust you night was well Majesty." He question holding out his arm to lead the way.

"Kaoru." She corrected. "It was well; thank you, and yours Sir Troy?" He smiled and explained that his night was well. He led her down unfamiliar halls until they were on the bottom floor in front of a light wooden door that stood as high as the ceiling. Windows expanded to the back on her showing off a different area that was vast plains and a forest in the back ground.

It was the plainer part of the garden where tea could be held, Troy explained, but Kaoru thought it must be some tea party. She guessed it was about thirty acres of wide grasses, spotted with flowers in different shapes and patterns. It was stunning.

Troy opened the door, and she walked inside. Before she even heard the voice she noticed the room. It was long and had vast windows on two sides of it showing the plains once again and others parts of the garden. It was also a beautiful dark like the rest of the castle. A long cherry wood table stretched along the room and iron cast lights hung down from the ceilings.

"Princess Kaoru, I may that you could grace us with your presence." A deep haughty voice spoke to her and she looked at Hiko who eyed the child. She noticed that they weren't the only people in the room.

There was a black almost blue haired girl sitting to the left of Hiko, and Kenshin sat to the right. There were also people who she had meet the night before: Princess Tomoe, Prince Aoshi and his sister Megumi, and last of all there was Sano looking at his glass.

Kenshin stood to greet her, as the rest of the men did.

"I suppose this is the child that you took." Hiko said implying to Ruth.

Kaoru stood with her back straight well aware that all eyes were on her. Kenshin came up next to her, smiled and led her right to where he sat.

Ruth, Kaoru could tell was nervous as anything, and she touched her shoulder. "Ruth this is your King." Ruth curtsied clumsily as Kaoru looked at everyone daring them to say anything.

Shura smiled. "What a darling child. May I?" Shura said holding out her hands. Kaoru looked at Ruth and nodded. "I can take her out to the gardens. How would you like that Ruth?" She nodded. "Father, may I be excused." Hiko waved her off, and she went smiling and chatting about everything.

Kenshin pulled out her chair and she sat gracefully. "Yes and her name is Ruth." Kaoru put in calmly, her voice all dutiful, almost as if she were in a conference.

Everyone in the room smiled, except Aoshi and Kenshin who just looked at her. Hiko smiled. He liked her already.

"Your father says you're quite the delegate." Hiko prodded. Kaoru mind was numb.

"My father never lies." Kaoru explained. Hiko nodded.

"You're not usually the one who expands on conversations." Megumi put in slyly. Kaoru smiled. "Not really." Sano turned away from her.

Hiko looked at Kaoru laying back while looking at his son who was drinking bitter liquid. "I think Megumi her domain is political debate, and not idle talk."

Kenshin looked at Kaoru. She was so beatiful."Your right Majesty."

"Call me Hiko." He commanded.

"Hiko." She corrected. Tomoe played with her food thinking about Kaoru; she seemed to have her head around her unlike usual ladies of the court. The atmosphere was tense, but as she looked at the girl she felt a serene peace about her.

Hiko smiling wickedly asked to everyone's surprise. "What are your ideas about the declining economic trades? The Nation of Cithaeron increased a tax on their goods, and its hurting ours lands. How do you think we can solve this?"

He leaned forward. It was the first time he ever asked a woman of her opinion since his wife had died, but he had to know if her father spoke the truth about this young princess.

"Hiko, I don't think we should be talking about this right now." Kenshin said evenly eyes Kaoru as he spoke; she sensed her tense a bit, but then relaxed. "The House of Affairs has been discussing this for months now and we still haven't come up with a solution."

"And what does that mean Kenshin?" Megumi put in glaring. Kenshin ignored her.

"I think Kaoru already has an answer." Sano spoke for the first time his eyes never leaving his old friend. "Could you please tell us Princess?"

Kaoru inwardly shivered. She never expected Sano of all people to speak to her in such a politely dismissal tone. Kenshin she noticed sent him a piercing look which Kaoru didn't understand. Was he trying to defend her? Sano's attack had been all too vicious. It would have been better if he would just say what he meant. Sighing, she knew she would have to converse with him later and make some type of amends; a conversation that she dreaded.

"Highness," Aoshi spoke calmly startling Kaoru a bit from her daze. "No doubt a non-importation is the only way to reduce the taxation." Kenshin shook his head.

"Yes, but at what price. We would hurt ourselves." His spoke like a true aristocrat; smart, and arrogant.

"Yes, but they would be hurt as well." Aoshi put in glaring back. Hiko smiled.

Kaoru never heard of this situation, she had been too involved in the transgressions of her own land, but she coughed. "I have never heard of this situation I'm sorry to say. I have been to preoccupied with my own land, but," She stopped and looked at everyone.

She had been well educated in trade and revenues, and her father always went to her. The answer was so easy, that she thought that they may have already thought it up and rebuked it, but she tired anyway. "I know non-importation isn't the answer." She looked towards Aoshi, all business and not another emotion. "If non-importation happens they will probably go off to another nation for goods, and that will hurt us more.

You must be well aware of the fact that Cithaeron relies heavily upon our exports of sea goods, tea, stone, and lumber, and we rely on them for precious stones, raw materials, tobacco, and cotton." Kenshin was going to interrupt if she put her hand up.

"What is need is a reduction in their services and increase in our shipping to them so that we may still get their goods but at a lesser cost, since the tax will won't be high, and at the same time triple our profits by exporting more to them."

"That would never work." Sano exclaimed getting up. "They would know and stop importing their goods."

Kaoru face never shifted during his blast, she sat quietly listening to his side as he rambled on. Hiko smiled widened. The girl was good, he would give her that, but they had already thought up that answer and knew it wouldn't work.

Kenshin stood in a haughty silence. Kaoru gave the same answer Lord of Tesalane introduced back a couple months ago in the Chamber of Government.

"Kaoru I have to agree with Sano. It has already been denied." Hiko's voice split the room. He stood and stretched about to take his leave, but he was stopped by Kaoru standing up quickly.

"Hiko, I don't believe it will fail." They thought she was nothing but a stupid woman and that thought angered her, so she ended up saying it with a little edge to her voice which she didn't like. He lifted an eyebrow at her clear stubbornness, amused no doubt.

"I have heard about enough of this conversation so make it quick." Kaoru clenched her jaw. Everyone's eyes were on her once again with wide mouths dying to her what she would say.

"You may or may not have known about this but Cithaeron has done this before to Kadir about a year ago." Hiko's eyes narrowed. "You never heard of it probably because it was defused so quickly by this idea that I have presented to you."

Kenshin stood and walked around, Sano sat idle, and Aoshi was a usual in a pensive mood, but Megumi and Tomoe had similar smiles on their faces.

"She is very intelligent isn't she Tomoe?" Megumi leaned to her friend whispering in a hushed voice. Tomoe nodded, "She is impressive."

Hiko laughed suddenly, "Well it looks like I have to present a case to the House." Wavering her off he added, "Kenshin I'm sure you will make the appropriate actions." Kenshin nodded, and Hiko was gone.

"Who came up with that idea?" Kenshin came to stand in front of Kaoru; his steady violet eyes piercing hers. She swallowed. Something about this man who stood in front of her made her want to fall, made her feel as though his opinions were never to be question and to answer when ever he asked.

"It...it was mine." Her soft answer floated through the room. Kenshin raised a brow turned around and went back to his seat.

She had thought of it; she had come up with a solution to this problem long before it ever occurred to the whole nation. He wanted to smile; she was intelligent. She wasn't like other ladies of the court who knew how to sow and dress fashionably. He looked at her again and smirking; she wasn't in fashion wearing a simple, conservative gown of pure white that barely showed any skin except for her lavish neck and collar bone

She was engaged in another tête-à-tête with Megumi having Aoshi assert his ideas once in a while as well as Tomoe. The only person who dared not talk to her was Sano.

Sano looked at him a smirk goofily, getting up and exiting the room; Megumi and Kaoru looked at him as he went. Kenshin frowned. Why was Sano acting like that towards Kaoru; a person not a day before he spoke so highly of.

With knowing what he was doing he strode towards Kaoru. She was so striking to man such as himself. "Excuse me Princess but may you honor me with a walk in the garden?"

And for once she truly did smile.

A/N: Hey sorry people for a short chapter that was mostly about nothing. I'm still trying to fit the enemy some where in here, maybe I will make their presence soon. If ya'll are like super brilliant you will find out who it is by context clues, if not then ya'll are probably like me and just like to read and find out what happens at the end. Smiles

Okay well, if you guys have any ideas about what bad can happen just give a shout out and maybe I can fit some in. Oh yeah, people wanna see Kaoru fight...hmmm...I know I'm going to have her fight, but I don't know when. I'm still thinking it over.

Thank you, thank you all so much for reviewing it really does inspire me to continue; so thanks.

Please RR and thanks again!

Don't You Just Hate Me,

CrypticMaiden RK


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